Chronicles of House Vhagar
by IronDBZ
Summary: An alternate history of Westeros under the kings descended from a house other than the Targaryens. The main story is set during the time of the current King of Westeros, prequel chapters will offer background information surrounding the divergent timeline.
1. Ascendency

King Vaemond rose to the throne 202 years after the landing of Aegon in the wake of King Haerys' submission to his injuries. Vaemond of the house of Vhagar, descended from the "Great Heart" and blood of Old Valyria, was coronated as King of the Andals, the First Men and the Rhoynar a fortnight after the late king's passing; another fortnight he was wed to his aunt Vaera, also of house Vhagar and there was much rejoicing. In this time there was peace and happiness within the capital, a young king gifted in the way of the mind and body worthy of his throne, all wished him a long and bountiful reign wrought with peace and justice. The peace was not to be for long, as a halfyear from his coronation Vaemond was beset upon from his envious and spiteful uncle, Laenor of the Stormlands.

The Stormlanders rallied behind their lord, blessing his right to rule with 80,000 blades pointed at the Red Keep, before the end of the year there was but 30,000 and the next all but a few strong willed and able-bodied men were left to oppose the rule of Vaemond and in the end the Stormlords surrendered their liege to the rightful king of Westeros at the foot of the Iron Throne for justice to be given. Laenor was to be ripped of all titles, revoking the lordship of Storm's end and all lands bound to it by blood and oath, but for all the wealth and prestige taken of the man his life was spared, from there sent to the wall, and his two sons taken as wards of the King's court and later the King once a man-grown. The court murmured of weakness at the king's mercy, and his supporters excused him by way of naivety, and his enemies saw it as evidence of undue victory against the rightful King Laenor who wasted away below the icy wall. Regardless of any words spoken of him the King held true to his decision, not for a young man's assurity of himself but from a genuine wisdom lost on the part of the many. For a Kingdom to flourish an example must be made, that rebellion would be crushed, easily and that all loss would be crushing, but such an example should not be soured by blood on the hands of the king. The Stormlands have been held since the Siege of Storm's End by Vhagar the Great Heart, and it was in the interests of the King to keep it that way; with the heir apparent both a boy and the son of a traitor the Paramountcy was handed over to Vaemond's younger Uncle Maelys the Indulgent. In contrast to his older brother, Maelys was an improvement, at least for the interests of the King and Westeros as a whole. Maelys was an incompetent, though good-natured fool, yet perfectly capable of holding the Stormlands with the King's grace.

The King's swift destruction of the Stormlander forces left his rule unquestioned in all of Westeros save for the Iron Isles. In expectable Ironborne fashion, Dalton Greyjoy sought to secure independence from the Iron Throne and best the King at his weakest before an invasion of the Islands could be mounted. Crowing himself Iron King upon the Seastone Chair, Dalton then took the Ironborn about Dorne, through the Narrow Sea, past the mouth of Shipbreaker Bay and in the Blackwater. From there the would-be king landed at Duskendale, just North of the King's armies and second wave landed just west of Rosby and the Ironborne raped and pillaged as they do until the Riverlords brought with them a mass of 50,000; more than enough to be the Ironborn host numbering at half the number and cast the lot into the bay where they could feast with their Drowned God and join him in aforementioned practice. Same as Laenor just months before him, the Iron King was stripped of his title and sent to The Wall.

With all pretenders and challengers bested and dealt with, Vaemond was free to enjoy his peace and when his years numbered 16 Vaemond was knighted by Aegon Bloodwater before an ensembled mass in the hall of the King. Not long after the knighting of Vaemond was word sent to the Redkeep of the Wildling invasion of The Wall, where the barbarian mass found the courage to mount open assault upon The Wall the hadn't an idea. In the light of the news, the King pledged his fullest support to the Night's Watch in their defense of the wall and called for a force to be assembled from the Northmen at the New Gift of Jaehaerys where the King himself would meet with his army and ride north of the Wall and break the wildling host before another assault was made. Not unknown to the King was the knowledge that a ride from the King's landing to the Wall without proper preparation was both dangerous and long, more than enough time to lose the wall and Wildings to flood the North. To the Lord Commander these words from the King came from far-off, an echo met with silence in the darkness, as no King of Westeros had ever rode personally in the defense of the Night's Watch the letter seemed to be more a pledge of support seeing as no mention of the assembled Northmen army was made to the Lord Commander. The logical solution to this problem of travel was to handover all responsibility of the situation to the Stark at Winterfell, but to do such a thing would strengthen the position of the North within the realm and the Lord of the North was known for his lack of support of the throne. With two rebellions under his belt, Vaemond had ample fear of a third by the Northmen should he give them reason, another ancient title to be resurrected and a new king for the small folk to march behind. No, such a chance was not be made.

The Crownlands have held Dragons since the Conquest, but no ancient beast of battle worthy of the king resided by the bay of Blackwater, Vaemond's mount lied farther east, to the Dragon's Mount. Vaemond sent for a ship to carry him over to Dragonstone, from there he would search for The Cannibal, a dragon of 100 years, a large animal fit for the King to ride against his enemies. It is whispered in the Night by the smallfolk that the Cannibal does not bother with men and all men must not bother with The Cannibal, the positions of both sides of were made incredibly easy, as no man could find the beast just as the King could not find the Cannibal. In the stead of the kinslaying beast was Silverwing, and the dragon accepted Vaemond as master and the King flew to the New Gift. The symbolism of that particular Dragon was not lost on the wise king; the last rider of Silverwing was Queen Alysanne many decades prior , the queen who saw fit that their should be a new Gift for the Watch in the first place. Vaemond wondered if the creature remembered the lands when they were younger, and could be given on the whims of a wise king.


	2. Consolidation

Vaemond met with the Northmen and rode further into the lands of the Watch until he was met with honors at Castle Black, and from there he was outfitted with appropriate clothing and his men with rations for the long trek to the Shivering forest where the Rich Queen is said to have encamped. North of the Wall there was a strange feeling, a sense that the land was untouched in a way, preserved for years under mountains of snow. Stranger even was that no souls could be found, many campsites were left barren and unmanned, some fires still burned weakly in the chilling wind. Exhausted from the long march into unknown territory and with only cloaks and small fires to warm them, the Northmen camped in the Antler Vale just south of the Queen Beyond the Wall's encampment. Vaemond sent scouts into the Shivering Forest to assess the wildling's numbers, and giving the time between the first attack on The Wall and then, they had more than enough time to regroup and rally more men to their cause. When the scout group returned they brought with them the number of Wildings resting north of their position; 50,000. With the Southern forces numbering at just about 11,000 there was reason to be fearful and suspicious of such a force being so close and powerful. Just what was the reason for the Queen's war, what did she preach to the horde to make them come in such force at her back? Most men wished to turn back and hold The Wall against the coming attack rather face the Wildlings in the field, some saw that they could not make it back before the Queen met them in battle and sought to propose alliance with the Ragnar of the Thenn, surely he could bring and army to contain the queen. Vaemond simply responded with an order move forward against the Wildlings. The men threatened with mutiny and the king with dragonfire, his position saw no further resistance and the men moved with no question. The army of Dalla the Rich was met with surprise, southerners never traveled North in sizes exceeding a hundred, and to see 11,000 southerners amassed under a three-spiked banner under a veil of mist and dragonfire. Vaemond understood that even with a dragon, to blindly burn all that stood before him would only result in his being shot from his mount and his army to fall apart, luckily enough The Warrior saw fit to bless the battlefield with heavy snowfall which Silverwing then reduced to steam and from there a mist fell upon the wildlings thick enough to suffocate their fires and into the veil Vaemond rode breaking the enemy lines and scorching the snow-laden forest till the ground boiled and the tree leaves withered.

Dala then proposed to meet with Vaemond in single combat, or as close to it that a savage could muster. Vaemond leapt from his mount onto the ground and drew Blackfyre and Stranger's Touch from their sheathes and met the Queen in combat. Caring not for defense, the King unleashed a flurry of strikes that were parried by the Queen, the exchange continued as the screams of fallen men echoed into the burning night until Vaemond roared in his frustration "Dracarys!", and from deep within the Giant's Eye came a crack then a gust of a wind and with it a great burning only weathered by the King's making of haste towards a nearby thicket. As soon as the flames subsided and gave way to frozen air he emerged to the sight of a great beast roaring over the burning cadaver of his vanquished foe.


	3. Preparation

The Wildling army was broken, and a great slaughter began as the Northmen cut down what was left of Vaemond's roast. From their destruction, arose a great desperation, surely the Southerners came to kill them all finally, and they raised in the form of a coward another king, Haggon who was later known as "The Feasted". As the new King Beyond the Wall, Haggon moved toward the valley of the Thenn, where he hoped to best the Ragnar with his small host and win his allegiance. The plausibility of besting the Thenn at such a time was small if possible at all, Dalla probably didn't wish to bring the Thenn into the fold because of pride; but Haggon, lacking in both the strength and cunning of Dalla, moved on them proving that he was not just a coward but a fool as well. The Ragnar would have broken open Haggon's back and ripped out his heart before his people and thrown him into the snow. Haggon's ill-fated plan was not to be, as Vaemond flew upon him and his band, burning the band and capturing Haggon, but the capture led to an execution as Silverwing couldn't resist swallowing the fool whole along with his wooden crown, and rusted axe. From there the Wildlings were no longer a threat, the Northmen made for the Wall and Vaemond for King's Landing.

Battle tested and strong Vaemond went to his court tasting for blood, he set about to enter into as many tournaments as one could find, fighting and jousting for the thrill. In all the sets done by the King only a single man died, as to kill a man in sport was never his intention. To win and for the vanquished to join with him in rejoicing was his aim and with this goal in mind he sought challenges again and again, until he no longer found pleasure in the ways of knights and their jousting. Vaemond soon saw them as insincere what with the bribing and bloodlust displayed by his competitors; he became disillusioned with the concept of true knighthood. The way of the knight was to battle for the faith and do justice amongst all walks of men, to be wise and strong against the forces that seek to wreak destruction upon the Faith of The Seven and be wise in times of peace. But none of the men he faced ever saw true battle, battle against and enemy you slay in war and curse in peace; to see hate and fear in the eyes of your foes and breathe life into those fears as the many are cut down under the weight of your sword. These men only know the ways of courts, holding onto a tradition that they no longer followed or could represent in anything but name. Vaemond saw decadence in these men and thought to break the flow of their indulgences but to do so would be throwing sheep to dogs. Then again, culling of the weak from a larger flock will make the herd stronger in the end.

It is said that Hugor of The Hill met with The Seven in human form. They brought with them gifts and blessings to go forth and conquer the lands of Westeros in the name of the faith and to destroy the abominations of the First Men and the Children of the Forest. They slaughtered the Children as thoroughly as the Valemen. Such slaughter is seen as heavy-handed at best now, but to go forth in the name of the gods to vanquish enemies indulging in affronts to the faith is a just thing. Holy war would be the culling of Westeros, and the Free Cities openly profaned the freedom of men before the eyes of The Seven. Vaemond would liberate the enslaved of Essos, from Braavos to Asshai, there would be freedmen. Baelor fasted and prayed in the ways of the idle septons, Vaemond would follow the old way, of waging war in the name of the gods.


	4. Arrangement

Vaemond's influence and strength were more than enough to keep the seven lords paramount in line, many resented his rule and in private wished for his death but none dared say in the open for ears to hear other than their own. Fear is well and good, any king with even a fair amount of it may see his reign long and peaceful, but Vaemond's ambitions were not to simply preside over a peaceful land. Vaemond's ambition lied in lands beyond the Narrow Sea, he needed not only the loyalty of his vassals but their resources, their men, and their loyalty for the years of war yet to come.

The Hand of the King was Helman, Commander of the Gold Cloaks. A very unorthodox choice, but sensible in light of Vaemond's ascension. During the brief civil war led by Laenor Vhagar, the lords of Westeros refused to intervene on either side. Their apathy was due to a lack of loyalty to family in general, the grandson of a usurper is in no way entitled to the loyalty of his vassals and this was shown in the idleness of the lords paramount. In a subtle insult to the Great Lords, a Tyroshi foreigner was to be the King's hand rather than any of the Great Lords. Good Helman was an overseer from Norvos, a man accustomed to directing Unsullied against the Dothraki, he had the perfect skills to defend King's Landing in the name of the king and in that assignment he gained the trust of the King. Their relationship was a silent one, both understanding the nature of their relation and abided by the expectations such understanding does imbue; in fact, Vaemond may have spoken to Helman twice in his time as Commander and King. The infrequency of any personable interaction could be attributed to Helman's refusal to take a place on the small council while also fulfilling his office as commander and hand without fail. This was the usual nature of their relationship and interaction, but that day was in itself unusual. Vaemond wished to convene with the Lords Paramount in a show of goodwill and to foster good relations with them all.

By the time of the feast, the Crown had the full support of the Stormlands and Dorne without question; The Stormlands were personally appointed to Maelys Vhagar and the gesture did not go unappreciated, Dorne was also bound to the Crown by blood with Arron Martel's mother being the sister of King Haerys. The other five lords held opinions that ran the length of hate to general indifference; Alannis Tyrel of the Reach, Benjic Blackwood of the Westerlands, Jyanna Arryn of The Vale, Adron Tully of the Riverlands, Gedon Greyjoy of the Iron Isles and Ethan Stark of The North were to be called to King's Landing for communion with their liege lord. "Helman," the King said in a somewhat rushed manner, "Notify the Grand Maester, I wish to have the 7 lords in these Halls. He will send the ravens, each detailing the terms of their departure to King's Landing." To which Helman supplied a nod and was off to the maester with words in tow.

An order of the King to ride for the Capital was to be obeyed on promise of death should it be disobeyed, but a patience is to be expected for the arrival of the lords. The Westerlands, Riverlands, and the Stormlands were all within a fortnight of the Capital via the King's Road, the Reach slightly longer and Dorne at a month by sea and another week for preparations for voyage. The Vale and the North were much different beasts, the Vale requires extensive guiding to leave the innards of its territory let alone preparing for a journey to the capital and the time such actions consume, but all the same Jyanna would expect to reach the Capitol two months into journey. Ethan however, as the most unruly of the lords involved, suffered the hardship of a cold and harsh half-year journey from Winterfell to King's Landing along the King's Road. By the end of a fortnight all the Lords and Ladies had left in adherence to the Royal order.

Each Lord and Lady received a warm welcome, extravagant quarters to inhabit, and dozens of servants for their enjoyment and servicing; Alannis in particular took a liking to many of her handmaidens, such was the perversions of the Reachman. Strangely Vaemond didn't seem to mind, possibly for a higher wisdom or a general disinterest in the doings of others as he was much too busy preparing the warships and rationing of grain and salted meat for the armies that were due to march on the Free Cities within the years to come. The usual meeting rituals went unbroken for the first four lords, each taking the kindness in good faith and went on to enjoy their gifts in privacy, Arron was even met at the beachhead with a ceremony befitting a Prince of Dorne; dozens of musicians serenading the sea for the pleasure of the Royalty present and a feast then followed. Arron Martell treated with the other lords and ladies and they all drank into the night as Vaemond watched on in silence. So far the plan had gone swimmingly, they were to be drawn in with good entertainment and pleasantries and in turn they would learn to love Vaemond as a great benefactor and host, but Vaemond understood that following Adron Tully the Nobles to come would be much harder to please. Ethan Stark in particular was to be an exceptional difficulty, being of the North, Ethan held certain values that didn't agree with the current relations of the North to the Iron Throne. During the civil war, Ethan made his stance well-known, his choice in the war lied with neither Vhagar and wished to proclaim himself King in the North and ride south and melt the Iron Throne for his crown. This talk was silenced because of the swift destruction of the Laenor's army and securing of the Realm against the Ironborne. Surely his arrival would be the cause of tension in the court, and any extravagance on his arrival would only alienate him further. Vaemond had been amongst the Northmen for a time, he understood the hardy ways of those people and the decadence of the South to them is a disgusting waste of time, the sentiments of The Stark could hardly be different. Gedon Greyjoy was on the other hand an Ironborne, allowing him the run of the castle should be more than enough to entertain him until time to convene. The accommodating of Jyanna Arryn in short, became an afterthought of Vaemond to be turned over to his wife who would carry out the ceremony for her and escort her to her chambers.

The Greyjoy arrived in the dead of night after a 3 months journey that entailed the occasional reaving, a dash of pillage, rape, and burning. So it is to be expected that such a man would be drained after such time on the seas, alas he was not tired in the least. He barged into the Red Keep with a dozen beaten salt-wives at his heels, half dead the women were. Each bloodied in a particular fashion, as if care was taken to make each mark upon their faces unique, one such beaten creature had an unnatural hair color. A mixture of a dyed violet, dried blood and puss, she limped along on shattered knees behind her new husband; she was likely a Lysene whore taught to fuck and act her way into anyone's pockets. With this pitiful lot straggling behind him Gedon helped himself to all the ale he could find and proceeded upstairs to the chambers of King Vaemond who was awoken by the racket aroused in the halls below his quarters. At the King's door Gedon struck a hammer to wake his liege and in his drunken state proceeded to voice his displeasure at his lack of reception, "Vhagar! Where's my damn greeting, I come here as you asked with plenty of girls to share for nothing but Ale and frightened kitchen servants barely able to piss quicker than they refill glasses," of course those would have been his words if it didn't devolve into a mess of slurred words and vomit. Following Gedon's collapse, Vaemond decided to have Maester Donnel see to him and have him rested. As for his salt-wives, Vaemond had their injuries tended to and of those who could leave Vaemond supplied and then sent them on their way, far from The Greyjoy. This would go untold to Gedon, and the missing wives were attributed to them running away without anyone's knowledge. Considering the events that had just transpired, Vaemond decided to disregard the difficulties that would come from Ethan Stark, nothing could have been worse than a drunken Iron Islander breaking through your door with a warhammer and passing out onto your rug with vomit leaking from his mouth, truly anything would be better.


	5. Commencation

Ethan Stark was not a smart man, headstrong and good with a sword but never intelligent. He was known to speak his mind when convenient and was understood to be silent when that was the only option presented. Ethan was for all his shortcomings, Lord Paramount of The North, and exercised the power said title entailed. Ethan Stark was given time unlike any other the lords due to King's Landing, a mark a consideration for the long journey from Winterfell to King's Landing. Also unlike the other lords, Ethan dared not set foot in the Capitol and spent his time levying taxes from the small folk and making deals with the Free Cities, soliciting them for ships. The North was not a wealthy region, and the coffers of The North were never in a state of extreme surplus, though also never in bankruptcy, but Ethan had been a greedy liege since he inherited the ancestral titles of his father and in this vice he horded the wealth of the land for himself and became a remarkably rich man in the process, the wealth accumulated rivaled even the Manderlys of White Harbor. This newfound wealth placed him in a position to negotiate a deal for ships with any of the Free Cities, however Pentos, Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys all declined, Lorath was undergoing civil upheaval, Volantis was defending against Khal Dromo and his riders and Braavos was all that was left. Luckily, there was a personal vendetta of the Braavosi against the Iron Throne seeing as Braavos was conquered some 50 years prior in Queen Rhaenrya's wars and had sense developed a strong hatred for the Andals. Braavos agreed to Ethan's proposal.

_Braavos shall supply The Kingdom of The North with military aid in the form of ships to ferry the Northman army to Blackwater Bay, 15,000 men raised from Braavos herself as well as any needed sellswords for the campaign. Payment should be paid upon failure of the execution of this alliance's purpose to the Iron Bank and all debts are absolved upon success. Should the war exceed a time of five years then the treaty must be renegotiated. For the glory of Braavos and The North, the Iron Throne must be dissolved and defeated for all time to come._

_-Treaty for the Dissolution of the Iron Throne Ethan Stark, Lord of the North, King of Winter_

_ Qoros Cyril, Sealord of the Free City of Braavos_

And with a silent _valar morghulis _the Braavosi diplomat signed the agreement and both sides organized their men and ships for the war.

The sight of Braavosi merchant ships were common and easily recognizable, but those were not warships. Strictly for commercial uses, the common merchantman was a seaworthy vessel and could hold a comfortable crew of 100 men and up to 150 if a need should arise. On the other hand the warships of the Braavosi were of another sort entirely, hundreds of men could fit aboard the vessels and the beasts could stay at sea for years without docking. If any ship was to go to war it would these. It would be these ships that would ferry 80,000 Northmen to Blackwater Bay, it would be these ships to destroy the united realm of Westeros.

It had been 8 months since the order for Ethan Stark to come to King's Landing had been sent, but unwilling to declare Ethan an enemy of the State Vaemond continued to wait. On the name-day of his wife, Vaera, Vaemond finally received word from Lord Stark. In the form of a letter, Ethan's demands of peace were given to Vaemond. The North would become its own independent kingdom, the Iron Throne would be dissolved and all Lords Paramount would restore their ancient titles and return to their lands as independent kings and queens. Of these demands, the last of which went almost completely unread because of the anger swelling in Vaemond, Ethan demanded that the King surrender himself to the King in the North for peace and justice. From then on, the city of King's Landing was on edge. Fear circulated through the populace, and eventually word reached the ears of the Great Lords in the Red Keep. Debate sprung among them, they were stuck in the Capitol and so long as that fact remained true they would be powerless. Without much choice, they openly declared for Vaemond and had ravens sent to all their bannermen. By the time any of ravens met their destinations, the siege of King's landing was in full swing. The royal fleet fought a 4 day battle in the Blackwater before being sunk and allowing the Northmen to make a beachhead. From Duskendale to The Claw men were raised, but the Crownlands couldn't raise an effective army to break the siege. From the Red Keep, Vaemond held the peace by a thread. The effects of a prolonged siege had yet to set in and the city had plenty of excess grain to feed the people, but the people understood the longer they went the less mercy they Northmen would have upon entrance and their city would be sacked just as has it had been twice before. On the 30th day of the siege the smallfolk revolted, thousands of people trampling over each other towards the gates of the city. The mass overran the Gold Cloaks and opened the gates to the Northmen within the hour. Vaemond was organizing a force to pacify the rebellion, benching on the ability of the city guard to hold out against the peasantry, but upon word of the gates being opened Vaemond mounted Silverwing and flew out and scorched incoming army and the peasants who had betrayed their king, thousands of men must have been dead before they withdrew from the city and the gates were reclosed. Vaemond had held out against the assault and the Northmen were given a reason to reconsider their strategy, and the long wait began anew.

While King's Landing was being besieged, the armies and fleets of the southern kingdoms were fully organized and within a day's journey of King's Landing. The local stewards and regents had taken over the preparations for war in the absence of their lords. A combined force of over 320,000 were in route to the Capitol to greet with King Ethan.

An emergency meeting of the small council was convened, not only did it include the King's advisors but the lords paramount, as well as Helman in an uncommon though good reasoned appearance. Unbecoming of men and women of prestige and status, there was a great clamor amongst them. None spoke in turn and in panic began to argue amongst themselves.

Benjic Blackwood:We just need to hold out till the armies arrive, it's simple!

Alannis Tyrell: The boys are fresh, they can barely hold their spears let alone fight the Northmen!

Adron Tully: I don't know about The Reach, but the Riverlands have plenty of able soldiers.

Arron Martell: Why are we fighting about the armies? My lord, you have dragons. What good is their army when you can burn it to cinders?

Vaemond Vhagar: Silverwing is not Balerion the Black Dread, my mount and I would be shot out the sky before we make a dent in the Northmen ranks. The only way to get me Ethan's head is for the armies to do the fighting!

Jyanna Arryn: What of the ships, surely you can burn them into the sea?

Helman: Scouts say there are hundreds of ships, no way to burn that many ships without getting killed yourself.

Vaemond: Gedon, have anything to say?

Gedonlaughing: Yes, by tomorrow there will be no more boats in the Blackwater.

Benjic: And just how do you suppose that will happen.

Gedon: It's been a long time since the Ironborne have had fresh blood, don't think I'd sit back and let the Stark have all the fun now.

Vaemond: You had contact with him?

Gedon: 2 months late, from the North to this shithole. Why wouldn't I think he's up to something? If you don't cut off his head, I'll drown him.

Thus, the council adjourned.


End file.
